Protective structure for lifting tongs



s. B. HEPPENSTALL, JR., ETAL 2,830,842 PROTECTIVE STRUCTURE FOR LIFTIGTONGS Filed July 18, 1955 April 15, 1958 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT0R.S`

B Heppensla/l,

. Gr/me Jr., "MM

THE/R ATTORNEYS.

Fig. 2

April 15, 1958 s. B. HEPPENSTALL, JR., ErAl.- 2,830,842

PROTECTIVE STRUCTURE FOR LIFTlNG TONGS Filed July 1a, v1955 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig.6

United States Patent O Pno'rncrrvn STRUCTURE non LIFTING ToNGs Samuel B.Heppenstall, Jr., and Alfred J. Grime, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignors toAmerican Forge and Manufacturing Company, littsburgh, Pa., a corporationof Pennsylvania Application July 1S, 1955, Serial No. 522,432 p 9claims. (c1. 294-104) This invention relates to improvements in liftingtongs and particularly tongs employed in lifting and transporting coilsof strip material such, for example, as metal strip material. An objectof this invention is to provide means for protecting the edge of thecoiled strip material against damage at the time'the coil is engaged bya set of tongs and also during the operation of gripping the coil by thework-engaging members of the tongs.

A further object is to equip coil-lifting tongs with resiliently mountedmeans for contacting the edge portions of a coil of strip material as`the tongs move into engagement with such a coil and for moving inresponse to forces imparted thereto as the work-engaging elements of thetongs move into gripping engagement with such a coil.

There have been previous attempts to minimize or prevent damage to theedge portion of a coil of strip material as the coil is engaged bytongs, such for example, as tongs suspended from and manipulated by anoverhead crane.

An object of our invention is to so equip the tongs that as the coil ofstrip material is engaged by them, the weight of the tongs is spreadover a substantial portion of the coil edge, thus minimizing the chanceof damaging the edge of the coil as the tongs are moved into engagementwith it. We have also discovered that after a coil has been engaged bytongs, the operation of closing the tongs into gripping engagement withthe coil is likely to damage portions of the edge of the coiled stripmaterial. A specific object of the invention is, therefore, to preventsuch damage to the edge of a coil of strip material as, and after thetongs engage theY coil and also as the work-engaging elements of thetongs are moving into gripping engagement with the coil.

Tongs employed for lifting and transporting coils of strip material areusually provided with a bar-like element to which a coil-engagingmember, such as a nose, is secured. The nose is adapted to enter thecentral cavity of a coil of strip material as a preliminary togrippingvand lifting the coil. The usual procedure involves setting a coil onend, i. e., in an upright position. The nose of the tongs is then movedinto the cavity of the coil and the bar-like element, to which the noseis secured, rests on and lies diametrically across the edge portions ofthe coiled strip material.

Briefly stated, the invention consists in equipping coilhandling tongswith a protective plate which is yieldingly mounted on theaforementioned bar-like element and is so positioned `that it intervenesbetween that element and the coil as the tongs engage the coil. Theplate is movable toward and away from said element and is also movablelongitudinally of the element. That is to say, protective plate is somounted that it intervenes between the coil of strip material and thebar-like element, as the tongs move into engagement with the coil andthe arrangement is such that the plate not only acts as a buier platebetween the coil and the tongs, but is also capable of moving withpthecoil as the coilmoves in response to t. tioned that it is capable ofentering the central cavity ofl H 2,830,842 Patented Apr. 15,. 1958 2the force applied to it by the tongs. The plate is also so dimensionedthat it minimizes the eiect of the weight of the tongs on the edgeportion of the engaged coil.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a side ele` vation of a set oflifting tongs such as are usually employed with overhead cranes and areused for engaging and moving coils of strip material from place toplace. It is, however, noted that the tongs shown are merelyillustrative of tongs which may be equipped with an embodiment of theinvention.

Figure 2 is a side View of an embodiment of the invention shown inconnection with a fragmental shadow ViewV of a portion of a set of tongsequipped therewith. The view shows a portion of the tongs by dot-dashline, but omits all structural details thereof except those necessary todisclose the application of this invention to a set of tongs.

Figure 3 is a bottom view of a protective plate forming a detail of theillustrated embodiment of the invention as the same is shown in Figure2.

Figure 4 is a top plan view of the protective plate shown in Figures 2and 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional View (on a somewhat enlarged scale) along theline V-V of Figure 2, and Figure 6 is a sectional view along the lineVI-Vl of Figure 2. In

both Figures 5 and 6 an element of the tongs per se is indicated bydot-dash lines.

Figure 7 is a sectional View along the line VII-VII of Figure 2.

The tongs illustrated in Figure l are a well-known type, and tongs suchas may be equipped with an embodiment of the invention. As illustrated,the tongs include a pair of toggle members 7 which are secured togetherat one end thereof by means of a pivot pin 8. The pin 8 also forms asupport for a lifting yoke 9 which is adapted to be engaged by a cranehook, not shown. The tongs also include an equalizing member 10 andwork-engaging members 11 and 12.

The member 11 is a slightly curved coil-engaging plate provided with tworearwardly extending spaced brackets 13, which span a grappling member14 of the tongs and are pivotally secured thereto by a pin 1d. Themember 14 is pivotally connected to the toggle link 15 by a pin 19". Thetoggle link 15 is pivotally connected to the equalizing member 1@ by apin 1S". Link 15 is also pivotally connected to one of the links 7. Thegrappling member 14 is also pivotally connected to the equalizing member10 by means of a plate 19a, a pin 19 and a pin 10". The pin 1lipivotally connects the plate 19a to the equalizing member 1t?.

The work-engaging member 12 is secured to a grappling member 16. Themember is pivotally connected to the toggle link 17 by a pin 17', andthe link 17 is pivotally connected to the other of the two links 7 7.Link 17 is pivotally connected to the equalizing member 10 by a pin 10.A plate 1% is pivotally connected to the member 1,6 by pin 17 and to themember 1@ by the pin 10 and is operatively connected to the plate 19a bya roller and slot connection. Each of the plates 19a and 19b is providedwith a roller mechanism-engaging slot and the two plates overlap so thatthe slot in the one plate extends across the slot o the other plate.rl`he slot in the plate 19a is indicated by the reference character aand the slot in the plate 1% is indicated by the refer-` ence characterb and the roller connection which engages both slots is diagrammaticallyillustrated and indicated by the reference character R. i

The work-engaging member 12 is in the form of a nose which is rigidlysecured to the bar-like grappling member 16 at a point intermediate theends of the member 16. It projects downwardly from the member and is soposisig-830,842

a coil of strip material as the tongs are moved into engagement with theupper edge of the coil.

As noted, the grappling member 16 is a bar-like member and extendssubstantially parallel to the equalizing member 16 as it moves todifferent positions relatively to that member. The nose i2 is located onthe lowerv side of the member 16 which, for convenience of description,we hereafter refer to as the bar i6. This bar is located on the lowerside of the set of tongs and after the nose 12 has moved into thecentral aperture of a coil of stripv material, the bar engages the edgeof the coil and lies transversely across the coil. it will also beunderstood that in gripping a coil, the member 1l engages the outerperipheral face of the coil so that the coil is gripped bythe member lliand the nose ft2 as they move relatively toward each other.

In order to prevent damage to the' edge portion of the strip material ofa coil as the coil is engaged by the tongs, it has been suggested toemploy a buffer plate between the edge portion of the coil and themember of the set of tongs corresponding to the bar 216. The butferplate employed as a detail or" the invention is clearly shown in Figure2 of the drawings and is designated throughout various views of thedrawings by the reference character 20. Experience has demonstrated thata buffer plate yieldingly mounted so as to move toward and away from thebar i6 is not suilicient to fully protect the edge portion of a coil ofstrip material. We have, therefore, so mounted the plate 2d that it notonly yields to the impact forces encountered by it as the tongs moveinto operative engagement with a coil, but also yields to such forces asare imparted to it as the work-engaging members i1 and 12 of the tongsmove into gripping engagement with the coil. it will thus be apparentthat the protective plate has a double function; it protects the edgeportion of the coiled strip against damage by impact and also againstsuch damage as might be occasioned by the movement of portions of thecoil edge occasioned by relative movements of the work-engaging members1l and 12 of the tongs as they move into gripping engagement with thecoil.

As shown in Figures 2 to 6 inclusive of the drawings, we provideplate-supporting brackets 2l on each'side of the bar 16. In theillustrated embodiment one pair of such brackets are located on one sideof the bar 16 and a similar pair is located on the other side of the'bar 16. As shown, each bracket projects laterally of the bar and alsoextends in a direction substantially parallel to the plate 2h which isnormally so located that while spaced from the lower face of the bar i6it is substantially parallel with the adjacent face of that bar and isof such shape and dimensions that it substantially coincides with theshape and size of the lower face of the bar 16. It is also so mounted onthe bar that it is normally located below the lower face of the bar i6so that its edges are aligned with the lower edges of the bar.

A plurality of sets of studs 22 are secured to the plate 2l) and projectat right angles thereto from the face thereof adjacent the bar 16. Eachset of studs projects through an elongated slot 23 formed in one of thebrackets' 21. That is to say, each bracket 21 is provided with anelongated slot 23. The slots in the different brackets are of equallength and each extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the bar 16and also the plate 20. The end of each stud which projects through aslotted bracket is shown as fitted with holding nuts 24. Each such studisalso surrounded by a compression spring 25 which is located betweenthe plate Zt) and the bracket 21 engaged by the stud.

As clearly shown in Figures 2 and 4, each bracket 21 is provided with anapertured friction plate) 26 'which engages the surface of the bracketremote from the plate 20. Each such plate is substantially shorter thanthe elongated Vslot 23 formed in the engaged bracket but it spans theslot 23 of the bracket and is capable ofmoving '4 to different positionsalong the slot. The studs 22 of each set project through one of theplates 26 and each plate forms a bearing plate for the nuts 24 securedto the studs engaged by it.

As shown in the drawings, a separate bearing plate 27 is located on eachside of the bar 16 and extends from one to the other of the pair ofbrackets 21 located on that side of the bar 16. Each of the plates 27 ismovable longitudinally of the brackets engaged by it and is located onthe faces thereof adjacent the plate 20 and constitutes a bearing platefor the compression springs 25 which surround studs'22. The plates 27,like the plates 26, span slots 23 and are movable to different positionsalong the slots. lt will thus be apparent that the studs 22 of each setproject through apertures formed in one or the other of the plates 27and that each set of studs is, therefore, operatively secured to one ofthe plates 26 and also to one of the plates 27.

As shown in Figures 2 and 5, each plate 27 is provided with a dependinglug 28 which is apertured to receive a guiding pin or rod 29. The lug 28is shown as located adjacent one end of the plate 27 and the rod 29extends parallel to the plate 27, is secured to the lugy 28 and passesthrough an aperture formed in a lug 30 which is secured to the side ofthe bar 16 as shown in Figures 2 and 7. It will be apparent that a lug30 is secured to each side of the bar 16 and is spaced from the lug 28with which it cooperates. Each rod 29 is secured to one of the lugs 28by nuts 29 and is surrounded by a separate compression spring 31 whichacts between lugs 28 and 30 to hold the plates 27 and, consequently, theprotective plate 20 at one end of its longitudinal travel of the bar 16.It is noted that each rod 29 moves freely through the apertured lug 30but is provided on the end thereof with a head 30 which, with the endsof the slots 23, limits the movement of the plates 27 and, consequently,of the plate 20, in one direction.

Figures 2,- 4, 5, and 6 of the drawings, disclose that the plate 20 isprovided with two upstanding brackets 32. One such bracket is located oneach side of the plate intermediate the ends thereof and the bar 16 islocated between these brackets. Each bracket 32 extends upwardly beyondthe adjacent bearing plates 27 and each platey 27 is notched, as shownat 33 in Figure 4 so as to operatively engage the adjacent bracket 32.vWith this arrangement the longitudinal forces imparted to the plate 20are substantially equally distributed as between the several sets ofstuds 22 with the intent of minimizing strains such as cross bendingYstrains, imparted to some o1' all of the studs 22. inthe drawings wehave shown the plate 2t) as provided with four lugs 20', each of whichis tapped to receive a set of studs 22. The lugs are again referred toand their function more fully described.

As shown in the plan view of Figure 3, the protective plate 20 isappropriately slotted at 36 to provide for the nose 12 and 'toaccommodate such relative movement as may take' place between the plate20, the nose' 12l and the grappling member i4 during the operation ofthe tongs. v

A reference to Figures 3, 5 and 6 of the drawings will disclose that weprovide wear plates 34 on the plate 20 so arranged that they willcontact with theA bar 16 if and'lwhen the compression springs 25 arefully compressed. As shown, each wear plate 34 is fitted into a grooveformed in the upper face of the plate 20 and it is desirable to makeprovision for lubricating the ex posed face of the wear plates and alsothesurfaces of the plates-'26-and 27 which engage brackets 21'. Theplates 34 may be, and preferably are formed of graphitzed bronzeforlubrication purposes.

The coil-engagingrsurface of the plate 20 is provided with anon-abrasiveI covering` 3S which may be formed of`any suitablematerialsuchy as asbestos plate or gasket material. The purpose' is to providethe plate 20 with a in effect move in opposite directions.

contact surface which will not damage the.. coil edges as the tongs moveinto engagement with the coil and during such relative `motion as takesplace between the plate 20 and the different portions of the edge of the`coil as the members 11 and 12 move into gripping engagement with thecoil. v

Referring again to the buier or protective plate 20, it will be apparentthat the compression springs 31 which surround the guide rods 29normally hold the plate 20 in a position such that one of the studs 22of each set engages the end of the slot 23 through which it projects, i.e., the end of the slot nearest the work-engaging element 11 or thelefthand end of the slot as shown in Figures 2 and 3.

Under normal operating conditions the nose 12 enters the cavity of anupright coil and the plate 20 distributes the -weight of the tongsacross a substantial portion of the edge of the coil and also protectsthe edge portion of the coil from damage occasioned by impact of thetongs as the coil isengaged. As the tongs operate to grip the coil, thework-engaging member 11 moves into contact with the outer peripheralsurface of the coil and the two members 11 and 12 move toward eachother. This' movement tends to cause relative movement between the bar16 and the plate 20 in which bar 16 and the plate As a result, each ofthe coiled springs 31 surrounding the rods 29 is cornpressed between oneof the lugs 28 carried by plate 27 and one of the lugs 30 on bar 16 andthe studs 22 move through their engaged slots 23 toward the ends of theslots remote from the work-engaging member 11.` Thus the yieldinglymounted plate 20 protects the edge of the coil strip material fromdamage both during the operation of moving a set of tongs intoengagement with the coil and also during the operation of moving theworkengaging elementsof the tongs into gripping engagement with thecoil.

As previously noted and as is clearly shown in Figures 2 and 6 of thedrawings, the plate 20 is provided with stud-receiving pillows or lugs20. Four such lugs' are provided, two located adjacent each longitudinaledge of the plate. Each lug is tapped to receive studs 22 and is solocatedrelatively to the bar 16 or, as shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7,relatively to a separate plate 39- secured to the lower face of the bar,that they cooperate with the plate 39 in taking up transverse strainswhich otherwise would be transmitted to the studs 22. Thus, the lugs 20'land the plate 39, in eifect, provide longitudinal guides which controlthe relative movement betoggle members 7-7. The yoke 9 is provided witha spreader plate 9 which is located between the legs of the yoke at apoint above the slots 38. The plate prevents the yoke from yieldingunder strains imposed upon it and thus imparting clamping pressure tothe toggle members 7-7 which are spanned by it. A Washer 8' is shownlocated between the nut carried by the pin 8 and the adjacent togglemember 7. A similar washer is employed on the other end of the pin 8.

As noted, the yoke 9 is adapted to be engaged by a crane hook and it isapparent that when so engaged, a substantial portion of the slot 38 willbe exposed above the pin 8 and Washer S as long as the weight of thetongs is borne bythe crane hook. As an open set of tongs is set down on,for example, a coil of strip material to be lifted, the crane hook isrelieved of the weight ofthe tongs, with the result that the yoke Willmove down with the hook andthe upper portion of the slot 8 will becovered or partially covered, by the Washer 8. As a result, thedisappearing slots 38 will indicate to the crane operator that the cranehook is relieved of the weight of the tongs and because of this thecrane hook may be readily manipulated from the crane so as to operatethe latching mechanism 37 with which the set of tongs is provided andthis can be done while the crane hook is retained in the lug-engagingposition with relation to the yoke 9.

Another feature of the invention which is directly associated withtheyoke 9, involves stop plates or lugs 7', one of which is carried by eachpair of toggle members 7-7 secured to the pin 8. As disclosed, theselugs 7 are located on opposite sides of the pin 8 and, consequently, ofthe yoke 9 and `are so positioned with relation to the yoke and the pin8 engaged by it, that the yoke is always held in an inclined positionwhen the toggle members 7-7 are in the position illustrated in Figure l,i. e., when the tongs are in the open position and the crane hook isremoved. With such an arrange` ment the yoke may be readily engaged bythe crane hook as a preliminary to picking upa set of open tongs.

From the' foregoing it will be apparent that the crane operator willreceive a visual indication that the open tongs are in place and thatthe latch mechanism 37 has operated as the tongs are set down and thiswill make it possible for him to apply a lifting force to the tongsWithout running the chance of disengaging the crane hook fromthe yoke 9.As indicated, the lugs 7 also make it possible for a crane operator tomove the crane hook into engagement with the yoke 9 of an open set oftongs without requiring the assistance of some one on the floor.

The latehing mechanism 37 here referred to, is a wellknown mechanismwhich has been in use for many years with cranes of the type disclosedand which is fully illustrated and described in expired United StatesPatent No. 1,839,398 of Ianuary 5, 1932.

While we have described an embodiment of our invention, it will beapparent that various changes, additions and omissions may be made inthe apparatus illustrated and described without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What We claim is:

l. A set of tongs for lifting coils of strip material, in-

cluding a bar; a coil-engaging element secured to said bar; a grapplingmember; a second coil-engaging element secured to said member; meansincluding toggle members forming a part of said tongs for moving saidbar and said grappling member relatively to each other and saidcoil-engaging elements into and out of engagement with a coil, incombination with a buffer plate mounted on said bar and movable towardand away from said bar and longitudinally thereof and two sets ofsprings each seating on said bar with one set normally holding saidplate spaced from said bar and the other set normally holding said platein a xed position longitudinally of said bar.

2. A set of tongs for lifting coils of strip material, including a bar;a coil-engaging element secured to said bar; a grappling member; asecond coil-engaging element secured to said member, means includingtoggle members forming a part of said tongs for moving said bar and saidmember relatively to each other and said coil-engaging elements into andout of gripping engagement with a coil of strip material, in combinationwith a buffer plate mounted on said bar and movable toward and away fromthe bar and longitudinally thereof, yielding means normally holding saidplate spaced from said bar; additional yielding means for normallyholding said plate in a fixed position longitudinally of said bar andmeans carried by said plate and for engaging said bar and limitingrelative transverse motion between said bar and said plate.

3. A set of tongs for lifting coils or strip material, including a bar;a coil-engaging element secured to said bar; a grappling member; asecond coil-engaging element s'ecured to said member, means' includingtoggle members forming a part of said to'ngs for moving said bar andsaid member relatively to each other and said coil-engaging elementsinto and out of gripping engagement with a coil of strip material, incombination with a buffer plate mounted on said bar and movable towardand away from the bar and longitudinally thereof, yielding meansnormally holding said plate spaced from said bar, said means moving withsaid plate longitudinally of said bar, and additional yielding meansnormally holding said plate in a fixed position longitudinally of saidbar and yieldingly resisting longitudinal movement of said platerelatively to said bar.

4. A set of tongs for lifting coils of strip material, including a bar;a coil-engaging element secured to said bar; grappling member; a secondcoil-engaging element secured to said member, means including togglemembers forming a part of said tongs for moving said bar and said memberrelatively to each other and said coil-engaging elements into and out ofgripping engagement with acoil of strip material, in combination with abuffer plate carried by said bar and movable longitudinally thereof andtoward and away from said bar; yielding means located between said plateand said bar and normally holding said plate spaced from said bar;additional yielding means normally holding said plate in a fixedposition longitudinally of said bar and yieldingly resisting movement ofsaid plate longitudinally of said bar; and means for guidinglongitudinal movement ofsaid plate relatively to said bar.

5. A set of lifting tongs including a bar having a coilengaging noseoperatively secured thereto and adapted to be inserted into the centralcavity of a coil of strip material; a work-engaging element adapted toengage a peripheral portion of a coil engaged by said nose and meansincluding toggle members forming a part of said tongs for moving saidnose and said element relatively to each other into and out of grippingengagement with a coil, in combination with a buffer plate secured toand extending longitudinally of said bar and normally spaced therefrom;plate-supporting brackets on said bar and projecting outwardly thereof,each such bracket having an elongated slot formed therein extendinglongitudinally of said bar; a plurality of bearing plates, each engagingat least one of said brackets and located between such bracket and saidbutter plate, each of said bearing plates being movable with said bufferplate and relatively to the bracket engaged thereby and overlying theelongated slot formed in such bracket; a plurality of studs secured tosaid buffer plate with each such stud projecting through an apertureformed in one of said bearing plates and through the elongated slotformed in one of said brackets; a compression spring surrounding eachsuch stud and located between said butfer plate and one of said bearingplates, said springs normally holding said buffer plate spaced from saidbar; yielding means acting between said bulfer plate and said bar fornormally holding said buffer plate in a fixed position longitudinally ofsaid bar; and means for guiding said buffer plate in its movementlongitudinally of said bar.

6. A set of lifting tongs including in its make-up an elongated bar; acoil-engaging nose secured to said bar and adapted to be inserted intothe central cavity of a coil of strip material preliminary to thegripping thereof 'oy said tongs; a work-engaging element adapted toengage a peripheral portion of a coil engaged by said nose and meansincluding toggle members of said tongs for moving said nose and saidelement relatively to each other into and out of gripping engagementwith a coil` in combination with a buffer plate extending longitudinallyof said bar and normally spaced therefrom; at least fourplate-supporting brackets mounted on said bar with two such brackets oneach side of said bar and projecting laterally thereof and with eachsuch bracket having anv elongated slot formed therein and extending"lo'ng'itudina'lly of said bar; a plurality of upstanding studs securedIto said buffer plate with eachl such studI projecting through anelongated slot formed in one of said brackets; a separate compressionspring surrounding each such stud and located between said buer plateand' the one of saidr brackets engaged by such stud; a separate bearingplate mounted on the surface of each` of said brackets remote from saidbuffer plate and overlying the elongated slot formed in such bracket andmovable longitudinally thereof, with each such bearing plate aperture'dto receive at least one of said studs; a nut secured to each of saidstuds engaging saidv bearing plate and limiting the spring-impelledmovement of said buffer plate away from said bar; and a Separatecompression spring. located on each side of said bar and acting betweensaid bar Iand said buffer plateY to normally yieldingly hold said bufferplate in a designated position longitudinally of said bar.

7. A set of lifting'V tongs' including a bar having' a coilengaging noseoperatively secured thereto and adapted 4to be inserted into the cavityof a coil of strip material preliminary t'o the lifting of such coil bysaid tongs; a coil-engaging element adapted to engage a peripheralportion' of a coil engaged byV said nose and means including togglemembers forming a part of s'aid tongs for moving said nose and saidelement relatively to each other into and out ofgripping` engagementwith a coil, in cornbination with a buffer plate carried by said bar andmovable towardand away from such member and longitudinally thereof; fourplate-supporting brackets secured to said bar, with a pair of saidbrackets located on each side of such element and projecting laterallythereof, each such bracket being provided with an elongated slotextending longitudinally lof said bar; a plurality of studs secured tosaid plate, each extending at right angles thereto and each projectingthrough an elongated slot of one of said brackets; a separate bearingplate movably mounted on the surface of each such bracket remote fromsaid buffer plate and overlying the elongated slot formed therein andmovable to different positions along such slot and apertured to receivethe end of at leasty one of said studs projecting through one of saidelongated slots; a

j nut fitted to the projecting end of each of said studs and engagingthe one of said bearing plates through which such stud projects; aseparate spring-engaging. plate extending longitudinally of said barbetween the pair of brackets mounted on each side thereof and movablealong the surfaces of such brackets adjacent said buffer plate, each ofsaid spring-engaging plates being apertured to receive at least two ofsaid studs; acompression spring surrounding each of said studs andengaging said buffer plate and one of said spring-engaging plates; aseparate lug secured to each of said spring-engaging plates; twoapertured lugs secured to said bar, one being located on each side ofsuch member and each being spaced from the adjacent lug on saidspring-engaging plate; a separate guide rod secured to each of said rstmentioned lugs and extending longitudinally of said bar and projectingthrough the aperture of the adjacent lug on said bar; and

a separate coiled spring surrounding each of said rods and operatingbetween the lugs engaged by the rod surrounded thereby.

8 A set of tongs for handling coils of strip material, including a bar;a coil-engaging element secured to said bar and dependent therefrom; agrappling member; a second coil-engaging element secured to said member;means including toggle members forming a part of said tongs for movingsaid bar and said grappling member relatively to each other and saidcoil-engaging elements into and out. of coil-gripping positions; incombination with a buffer plate located below and secured to said barand movable longitudinally of, and toward and away from said bar; a setof springs normally and yieldingly holding said plate spaced from saidbar; a second set of springs normally and yieldingly holding said platein a Xed position longitudinally of said bar and cooperating meanscarried by said plate and said bar for guiding longitudinal movement ofsaid plate relatively to said bar and for limiting lateral movement ofsaid plate relatively to said bar.

9. A set of tongs for handling coils of strip material, including a bar;a coil-engaging element secured to said bar and projecting therefrom; agrappling member; a second coil-engaging element secured to said member;means including toggle members forming a part of said tongs for movingsaid bar and said grappling member relatively to each other and saidcoil-engaging elements into and out of coil-gripping positions; incombination with Aan intermediate position longitudinally of said barand cooperating means between said plate and said bar for guidinglongitudinal movement of said plate relatively to Said bar and forlimiting lateral movement of said plate relatively to said bar.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,830,998 Harbard Nov. 10, 1931 2,617,678 Kelso4 NOV. 11, 1952 2,675,261Egge Apr. 31, 1954

